IT Contracts

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what factors were taken into account when deciding to transfer to new suppliers the IT contracts for the  (a) Local County Court,  (b) ARAMIS and  (c) Libra systems; what costs are of each transfer; and what the expected effect is of each transfer.

Vera Baird: The main factor for transferring to new suppliers was not that IT contracts for LOCCS, ARAMIS and LIBRA systems expire during 2007 and 2008. The Department has just completed a two year procurement (the DISC Programme) to award new contracts. Contracts with the new DISC suppliers were signed on 23 October 2006. Transfer costs are included within the Programme Business Case. Overall, these new contracts are forecast to deliver cost savings of more than £100 million over the next seven years on comparable IT services and will ensure more efficient, effective and joined up services to DCA clients and staff.